Loitering munition Skystriker: Elbit Systems on human control and future drone technology

Loitering munition is one of the fastest-growing capabilities on the modern battlefield. It combines reconnaissance and precision strike in a single system. At “DroneVation & Defence 2026”, Major General (ret.) Michael Edelstein, Executive Vice President for Strategy and Business Development at Elbit Systems, talked about the Skystriker loitering munition, the role of human operators in future autonomous systems and how current conflicts are shaping the next generation of unmanned capabilities.

General, what distinguishes the Skystriker system?
Skystriker is a mature loitering munition system developed to engage targets that are only briefly exposed or can only be tracked for a limited time. Since the munition is already in the air, it can close the link between sensor and effector very quickly. The electric propulsion ensures a very low acoustic signature. As a result, the system can operate at low altitude and is difficult to detect. Skystriker is thus a quiet and highly precise weapon system that can engage targets by surprise. The system can be deployed either as a single system or as part of a network of several interconnected systems.

How long can the system remain in the air?
We offer different versions. The basic model has a flight time of up to two and a half hours and usually has an operational range of 40 to 60 kilometres or more – depending on the communication link. The system has a modular design. Depending on the mission, it can be equipped with different warheads or additional batteries.

How much control does the human retain in an attack with loitering munition?
At Elbit, all our systems are designed so that a human is in the decision chain. Technologically, fully autonomous use is already possible. Our systems can reliably detect and identify targets independently using automatic target recognition (Automatic Target Recognition, ATR, editor’s note). However, for legal and ethical reasons, our systems are designed for human decision-making. The warhead makes it possible to engage various targets – from armoured fighting vehicles to enemy forces and targets behind walls.

The war in Ukraine is regarded as a laboratory for drone warfare. Do you learn from conflicts in the Middle East?
We do not focus on just one conflict. We study developments worldwide, listen to our customers and analyse operational experience from different theatres. At the same time, we invest heavily in simulation. You cannot develop a system only for today’s battlefield. You have to try to anticipate future threats. Technology is continuously evolving, and both sides are constantly learning. Our goal is always to be one step ahead.

Drone technology is developing extremely quickly. Ukraine creates new solutions, Russia reacts to them, and this cycle continues. Does that not make series production of new systems more difficult?
The battlefield is changing quickly, but not every technology evolves at the same pace. Small drones or communication protocols can be developed very quickly, while larger weapon systems need more time. That is why flexibility is decisive. If you develop a system for a very specific scenario, it can quickly become obsolete. Instead, you need a modular architecture that makes it possible to integrate new technologies over time. Today, many capabilities are based on software, which makes upgrades considerably easier to implement than in the past. At the same time, our engineers continuously integrate new technologies into our manufacturing processes in order to meet our customers’ requirements at an early stage – for example the ability to ramp up production quickly or to implement other specific requirements.

If you look five or ten years into the future: where will drone technology go?
We are still far from having reached the technological limits of unmanned systems. At platform level, in my view, sensors will continue to improve; they will become smaller, more capable and more diverse. The bigger development, however, may lie in different systems working together – that is, crewed and unmanned platforms, supported by artificial intelligence at both platform and system level. The challenge is no longer just to detect and engage targets. The challenge is to identify the right targets, minimise collateral damage and make military operations more efficient and more cost-effective. A combat aircraft operating together with autonomous drones as “wingmen” is one example. But there will be other applications. Elbit’s strength lies in connecting different platforms, sensors and technologies into a coherent system – across land, air and the entire battlefield.